Delibird's Dilemma (Japanese: デリバードのプレゼントDelibird's Present) is the first episode of Pichu and Pikachu's Winter Vacation 2001. It was first released in Japan on December 22, 2000. In the dub this short was combined with Snorlax Snowman to form Pikachu's Winter Vacation, the fourth episode of Pokémon Chronicles, which first aired in the United Kingdom on June 1, 2005 and in the United States on June 17, 2006.

In this episode, a Delibird loses its presents and Ash's Pokémon try to get them back.

Contents

Blurb

On the day before Christmas, Pikachu and its Pokémon friends are playing in a snowy town. But their snowball bowling game goes awry, and Totodile's snowball knocks a passing Delibird out of the sky! Delibird crashes down onto Meowth and Wobbuffet, who were out for an innocent stroll, but a wild Skarmory is annoyed at the racket and sends them all blasting off. Delibird has another bumpy landing, and now it's in a panic because it's lost all the presents that were in its sack. If they're not found by midnight, they won't be delivered for Christmas! Fortunately, Pikachu and its friends will help Delibird find all the presents.

Everyone splits up into two groups. Pikachu's group finds one present on top of a boat, while Bulbasaur's group spots another present in the forest. A third present is retrieved from the clutches of a wild Aipom. Just before midnight, the two groups meet up in town and discover the last missing present in a tree. When they try to grab it, it goes flying into the air and the wild Aipom comes to the rescue with a last-minute catch! Now the presents are in place and the holiday is saved, thanks to Pikachu and its friends.

Plot

The episode begins with the narrator—(a different one than usual)—saying that something bad always happens on the day before Christmas. The scene moves to where the Pokémon are bowling with snowballs. Pikachu gets a strike, and then Cyndaquil misses. Totodile then moves forward with a giant snowball in its mouth. It trips, and the ball is sent up with a Water Gun, hitting a passing Delibird.

Meanwhile, Meowth is telling Wobbuffet that a Skarmory should not get angry. Just then, Delibird falls into them and Skarmory is hit by the snowball. Skarmory uses a Wing Attack, causing Meowth and Wobbuffet to blast off, while Delibird falls into the woods, its presents scattering everywhere. Noctowl tries to hold Delibird up, but it is too heavy. However, Bulbasaur and Chikorita use their vines together to pull Delibird safely to the ground.

Cyndaquil tickles Delibird to wake it up, and Togepi and Pikachu befriend it. Delibird realizes that the presents are gone, but the Pokémon quickly promise to help find them. They split up into two groups and start looking. Pikachu notices the first present on a boat that is moving along the river, and so Totodile chases after it. After picking up the present, Chikorita pulls it over to land. That's one down.

In the woods, Psyduck joins a line of Gloom. Bulbasaur asks them if they have seen any of the presents. They have, and so Noctowl scans the area. Spotting a present in a tree, all that they need to do now is get it down. Geodude solves this by banging into the tree. That's two down, three to go.

Cyndaquil has fallen asleep, so Pikachu wakes it up. This makes it fall down, but they find the third present because of this. It is on some wires far above them, and this one can't be gotten by banging into things. To make things worse, an Aipom decides to take it. Pikachu asks for it, but Aipom refuses to hand it over. The Pokémon throw snowballs at it, but to no avail. The Aipom is dancing around mischievously by this time, but is then hit by a snowball it doesn't see and ends up falling. Pikachu breaks its fall, and the Aipom runs off without the present. Three down, two to go.

Make that four down, as Bulbasaur found another one when we weren't watching it. However, they still need to find another one and there is only ten minutes left. As night sets, Noctowl spots it in another tree. With a bit of effort, Noctowl pulls it out, but it starts falling down the tree. Due to the angle of the branches, it flies past them. Though they run after it, they can't catch up, especially as Bulbasaur and Chikorita are flicking it up to stop it hitting the ground. Totodile finally catches it, but then everyone runs into it and the present goes flying over a cliff...except that same Aipom just happens to be there, and it grabs the present in its tail.

Aipom gives the present to Pikachu, who in turn gives it to Delibird. And just in time as the clock has struck midnight and the Christmas tree beside them lights up. The narrator is revealed to be Santa, and as he thanks the Pokémon Delibird gets into the sleigh with him. Santa comments how well things went, and says that he thinks things will be even better on Christmas Day. With a "Merry Christmas", the sleigh flies past the moon, and then all of the Pokémon say goodbye. As the Pokémon wave, he sets off to do his deliveries.